Power-driven bin-gate-actuating device



Dec. 10, 1929. A. J. BOYNTON POWER DRIVEN BIN GATE ACTUATING DEVICE Filed May 19, 1927. 3 Sheets-Sheet l MQ/M Dec. 10, 1929. A. J. BOYNTON POWER DRIVEN BIN GATE ACTUATING DEVICE Filed May 19, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mm NQNW m Dec. 10, 1929. A. J. BOYNTON POWER DRIVEN BIN GATE ACTUATING DEVICE I Filed May 19,, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 by 7 w 32 72256 70/ Z W/W Patented 10, 1929 PATENT sari-run a. BOYNTON, OF WINNETKA, ILLINOIS; Ass-ranch 'ro-nt. a. niaAssEnT a corrranY, or crx roaeo, rumors,-

A conronacrron on ILLINOIS rownn-nnrvnlv ism-ea'ritnc ua'rrne DEVICE Application filed May 19,

ln blast furnace and similar plants, large of bull: material are stored in bins died with a plurality of laterally spaced 1 icharge openings each closed by a pivot-ally l gate. '1 he stored material is ren these bins by scale cars on which material is accurately weighed and the acciuacy of the weighing depends upon the attention given to it by the perator. As the opening of the bin gates is a heavy task and as they have to be opened a number of times during day, it is desirable to have the scale car equ' mod with power actuatedmeans openiin .id gates.

Til object of the present invention is to a simple, eihcient, and economical riven bin gate opening device which d nted to be operated to open a bin gate er the scale car is brought to proper ition to receive the discharge of the ma- .al tbro u the gateway or passage closed an the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation 01. a scale car ided with my improved bin gate opening Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same 1g the car in position to receive the dise through the passage closed by one of ates. V

3 is an end elevation showing the opening mechanism in position y to open the bin gate.

"re 1 is a like View showing the posie'on or the parts alter the bin gate opening .1 has been actuated.

i if, new to that embodiment of the el JlOD illustrated in the drawings: 10 tee a scare car of familiar construction a hopper 11 which, as illustrated in rawings, is in position opposite one of plurality of laterally spaced bin gates 12,

o the bin discharge chutes 13. Each ch e chute is defined by the bin floor 14, lined downwardly a sharfii angle to per 1927;- seiiaino. 192,771;

mit the ready discharge of the contents oi": the bin into the hopper of the scale car, and by vertical side walls 15, 15. The bin gate is of the so-called upper-cut type,-that is to say, it closes down on top of the bin floor 1.4, asshown in Figure 3. The bin gate is circular in vertical section and has laterally spaced side members or arms12, 12 (see Figures 2 and 8) which embrace the side walls 15, 15 of the chute 18. The said side walls have curved ends 15, 15 concentric with the curvature of and closing against the gate 12 and the gate arms 12 are pivoted on studs 16 carried at the common center by bracket plates 16, 1G fixed to the side walls 15, 15 ot the chute. The gate is opened by swinging it upwardly on the studs 16 away from the bin floor 1/1.

On each gate is fixed a device 17 to be engaged to raise or lower the gate. This device consists of a horizontal rod 18 extending transversely in front of the gate and supported in angle bars 19 attached to the lateral margins of said gate. By preference, a bushing 20 is mounted on rod 18 for anti-triction purposes when engaged by the power driven lifting; device now to be described.

21 indicates an elevated platform, extend ing: longitudinally of the scale car and sup ported on the frame 22 thereof by uprights e0 23, 23 somewhat to one side of the median line of the hopper 11. On the platform 21 at the side above the hoppers is rigidly mounted an upright frame 2% including two vertically grooved,latcrallyspaced guide members 25, 25 for a vertically reciprocable jaw member 26. The jaws of said member consist of vertically spaced, horizontal projecting lugs 27, 27 so placed that when the car 10 is brought to position to receive the discharge from a bin :20 door 12, said jaws will be above and below the rod 18 with its bushing 20 in readiness to engage the device 17 and, by vertical movement, swing the gate 1-2 upwardly on the studs 16. Preferably and asshown, the guide members 25 are'spaced aparta distance approximately equal to the widthof the gate 12 (see Figure 2) and the iaws 27 of the jaw member 26 are located midway betweensaid guide members.

r g i, i a 1 the jaw member 26 includes a centrally we disposed arm 28 which is curved upwardly and away from the vertical plane of the guide members and from the position of the bin gates to be operated. 29 indicates a. shaft extending longitudinally of the car and mounted in suitable hearings on the platform 21, A pitman or connecting rod 30 and a crank31 connect the said arm 28 with the shaft 29. The throw of the crank 31 is such as to raise the arm 28' and the jaw member 26 a distance sufficient to raise the bin gate 12 from closed position to fully opened position.

The shaft 29 is operated by an electric motor 32 to which it is operatively connected by asuitable gear reduction set 32. The motor is in circuit with a reversible motor control 33 to which it is connected by electric conductors not necessary to be shown. The electric connections and motor are such that the motor may be reversed by the controller 33 to drive the shaft 39 in either direction.

The operation of the'device is as follows. After the car has been'brought to proper position to receive the discharge from a chute 13 of the bin, the motor 32 is started by means of the controller 33. The shaft 29 is rotated and the crank arm 31 is caused to swing in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 3. By reason of the connection with the connecting rod 30, the jaw member 26 is caused to rise and in its rising. movement to engage the member 17 on the bin gate and swing said gate upwardly to open it. A movement of the crank arm to 180 degrees fully opens the gate. 7 Man'ifestly, the gate may be closed either by the rotation of the shaft in the same direction that it was rotated to raise the gate or by a reversal of that direction of rotation. A reversal of the direction of rotation of the shaft, however, is desirable since it permits a partial opening of the bin gate 12 and also permits a vibratory up and down movement to be given to the gate by rapid reversals of the motor 32 efiiected by the controller 33 when necessary. 7

After the gate has been closed, the car is ready to proceed to another bin, the jaws 27 of the jaw member 26 passing beyond the device on the gate which hasbeen operated.

While in describing my invention I have referred to several details of mechanical construction and arrangement of parts, it will be understood that the invention is in no way limited thereto except asmay be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

"1. In combination, a bin provided with a discharge chute having a downwardly ini clined floor,'a vertically swinging gate closing against said floor, a catchdevice' rigid with saidgate and extending horizontally therefrom, a scale, car, a hopper carried thereon, a reversible, longitudinally extending shaft mounted on said scale car above said hopper on the side remote from said gate, a motor capable of driving said shaft in either direction, a reciprocablc jaw member having vertically spaced jaws adapted to engage said catch device, a vertical guide frame for said jaw member rigidly mounted on said car in close proximity to said gate, an arm fixed to said jaw member, said arm being curved upwardly and rearwardly to a point substantially above said shaft, a crank on said shaft having a throw equal to the vertical movement of said bin gate, and means operativcly connecting said crank and said arm.

2. In combination, a bin providedwith a discharge chute having a downwardly inclined floor, a vertically swinging gate closing against said floor, a catch device rigid with said gate and extending horizontally therefrom, a scale car, a hopper carried thereon, a. reversible, longitudinally extending shaft mounted on said scale car above said hopper on the side remote from said gate, a motor capable of driving said shaft in either direction, a gear reduction set connecting said motor and shaft, a reciprocable jaw member having vertically spaced aws adapted to engage said catch device, a vertical guide frame for said jaw member rigidly mounted on said car in close proximity to said gate, an arm fixed to said jaw member, said arm being curved upwardly and rearwardly to a point substantially above said shaft, a crank on said shaft and a pit-man connectin said crank and said arm.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I affix my signature this 13th day of May, A. D. 1927.

ARTHUR J. BOYNTON. 

